Jumping For George
An Afternoon Nap For A Spring In Your Step
Other than an actual over the fence home run, nothing in Little League baseball gets as much of a cheer as the Hidden Ball Trick. (In Canada we don’t say Little League, we say House League and we don’t say Travel Teams, we say Rep. )
Regardless of terminology, and for those who don’t know, the Hidden Ball Trick is when the 1st, 2nd or 3rd basemen holds the ball in their glove after the play, lulling the runner into the idea that the ball has been returned to the pitcher, usually with a faked throwing motion while the ball remains in their glove. The pitcher may participate with a phoney catch of their own and turn towards the catcher as if preparing for the next pitch. Once the runner has been fooled they invariably and casually step off the bag and/or begin to take a lead off. This is when the basemen strikes and tags the runner. The umpire is a part of the gag, only too happy to participate, yelling “YOU’RE OUT!!” once the tag is applied.
The players and the home fans go wild!
There aren’t many sports in the world where playing tricks is so much a part of the game. Baseball has been described a million ways a million more times but learning things already known is what most of life is about. It’s very, very rare that we learn about something no one else already knows. That’s the stuff of science or invention.
Jumpin’ George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Joy is something worth sharing and learning about. Love instead of misery. In a game of failure, the Jays George Springer brings happiness to the ball park everyday.
Just a week ago as the calendar turned to June, Jumpin’ George played the Hidden Ball Trick on himself, by simply being himself. George is a jumper. He jumps for joy. Smiling, laughing, singing and dancing too. When George gets excited he jumps like a kid. Little bunny jumps. Usually after a hit. Somebody noticed. Which is a shame cause often when a charming habit is pointed out the person will stop doing it, if they can. Beware of that if there is a beloved tick you enjoy in someone you know. You might want to keep it to yourself.
The video replay unit of the barely Oakland A’s must have picked up on George’s bunny tick and while George hopped for joy on 3rd, grinning into his own dugout the A’s 3rd basemen snuck up behind waiting to time his tag. A inch up off the bag was all it took. The Ump was waiting, watching. The Ump called George safe. The replay would correct the error and George’s joy would be the A’s out.
As there is no indignity in baseball like being tagged out by ones own volition, George sulked off the field in shame. The Jays rally ended.
The Jays have since carried on their winning ways and George’s spring has been full of pop at the plate. The Jays once and already being counted out are in a Wild Card spot. To say the words ‘Wild Card’ and baseball in June is simply stupid. But since baseball has expanded its playoff bracket from 4 to 12 the pundit class has pounced on the opportunity to ruin what was another of those nice things about baseball. The season is long, anything can happen in July. You figure things out in the spring and make a name for yourself in the summer. Keep smiling Jumpin’ George. It’s contagious.
The Oilers Caught Napping.
In a previous Sometimes It Rains a brief mention was made of the Oilers propensity to nap for a period in past playoff pursuits. The word past was used to suggest it hadn’t happened this year. On cue in game two of the Stanley Cup finals the Oilers lost the spring in their skates and got caught napping in the 2nd period.
If you haven’t seen Connor McDavid’s heavenly deek-dangle-dish to a waiting Draisaitl, you should. How can one describe such a thing without poetry? But instead of weaving words, let’s be blunt.
How such a play could be made by such a player and his teammates would not dedicate the rest of the game to defending the lead in honour of such greatness, is……bullshit.
Wake up boys!